Is There no hope?
by EdgeOfChaos
Summary: When Kagome wakes up to see Inuyasha leaving at night for the second time in a row, she decides to follow. What she sees breaks her heart. Now Kagome has to confront him about it. CH4 Kikyou is really Naraku?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha i wouldn't be writing fanfics now would I?  
  
Is There no Hope?   
  
Chaper 1  
  
***  
  
It was past midnight, that Kagome could tell. She looked around to see what had woken her up when she heard the noise again.   
  
K: //I better tell Inuyasha.//  
  
She looked up in the tree for a sign of Inuyasha, but didn't see any. She looked back to where she heard the noise from and saw a flash of red.   
  
K: //Inuyasha must of already heard it.//  
  
She fell asleep again with dreams of Inuyasha.   
  
"Hey everybody come on it's time to go," Inuyasha said dousing the remains of last nights fire. Sango slapped Miroku and muttered something about hentai thoughts and Kagome gently woke the sleeping kitsune.  
  
"Come on Shippou, it's time to leave," she said gently. He woke up slowly and jumped up to her shoulder.  
  
"But what about breakfast?" he asked in a whining voice.   
  
"We'll eat in a few hours up at the village," Inuyasha said and walked off. Kagome fell in line behind him, with Miroku, Sango, and Kilala behind her. After a while Kagome thought about last night and what it was that he was chasing. She walked up to him.  
  
"Hello Inuyasha."  
  
"Hi."  
  
"So what was it that you were chasing last night?" she asked and looked up at him. He stopped dead and looked straight back down at her. He blinked twice, shrugged and walked on.  
  
"Nothin' I just thought I heard a sound out there, that's all."  
  
"Oh," was all she said and they walked in silence the rest of the way to the village.  
  
I: //Could she have known? Did she see? If she saw she probably wouldn't be talking to me. Or would she just to make sure that I didn't know that she knew?//  
  
Inuyasha walked to the village loaded with worry.  
  
"Wow Inuyasha! This is the most expensive place in town! How did you get us in here for free?" everyone was asking. After a few failed attempts by Miroku, Inuyasha had had enough. He said that he would be back in a few minutes and took off leaving a bewildered gang. He then found the best place to eat and threatened the owner. The owner obligingly let him and the rest of his group eat as much as they wanted for free.   
  
"You just have to know how to do it," he said with a smirk and sat down.   
  
After eating there fill, they left a shard that Kagome had sensed nearby. They didn't get there before nighttime, so after a sit from Kagome they camped near a forest again.   
  
It was the middle of the night and once again, Kagome had been awakened. She over to where Inuyasha was supposed to be and didn't see him. Instead when she looked over at the forest, she saw him running deeper into it.   
  
K: //What is he doing now? Is he chasing after a demon again?//  
  
She decided to get up and follow him. She only had the direction he was going in to find him, so she decided to pick up the pace. After a while she heard some noises and slowed down. She hid behind a tree when she heard two voices.  
  
K: //He wouldn't. He would never... would he?//  
  
"Inuyasha you must leave her and come with me," Kikyou said. She wrapped her arms around him. Inuyasha shivered, but returned the gesture.   
  
"I would do anything for you Kikyou," he replied.  
  
"Don't be so sure of that Inuyasha. The last time I tried to take you into hell with me, you left me for my reincarnate. I thought that you had betrayed me once, which turned out to be a trap, but it wasn't. That time you really did betray me."  
  
Inuyasha said nothing for a while.   
  
"I'm sorry Kikyou. I couldn't leave her. Not just yet." Kikyou stepped away from him.   
  
"So you'd rather be with her than me! Is that it?" she shrieked at him. Upon hearing this Kagome's heart soared.  
  
K: //Would he leave his dead love for me?//  
  
"Kikyou you are my first and only love. There can be no other. We would have been together if it wasn't for Naraku, and I plan to be with you," he replied calmly. Kagome's heart quietly shattered. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She wanted to run, but her legs wouldn't obey her.   
  
"What would you have done if I had never come back?" she heard Kikyou ask. He was silent. "Do not hesitate to tell me the truth Inuyasha. We are already going to be together and nothing can tear us apart again," she said reassuringly.  
  
He took a deep breath. "You know, people say that you and Kagome are alike in every way. I don't see it though. I compare her to you sometimes, but I don't really mean it. I just say it when I'm mad at her. You would never meet two people who were different as you two. Before you came I was falling in love with her, and I guess that there is still some love, but I could never love her as I love you," he finished. Kagome slowly backed away and ran back to the camp, who was oblivious to the two lovers standing there.   
  
***  
  
To be continued...  
  
So how do you like it so far? REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!   
  
EdgeOfChaos 


	2. Chapter 2

I would like to thank my two reviewer's, Pinayazngrl and plant master liar its weed. Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha  
  
Is There no Hope?  
  
Chapter 2  
  
***  
  
Kagome slowly backed away and ran back to the camp, oblivious to the two lovers standing there. She stumbled her way back into the camp and quietly slipped into her sleeping bag. She didn't want to wake anyone, mainly because she didn't want to talk.  
  
K: //He loves her. He loves her and not me. I'm nothing more than a friend to him.//  
  
Tears fell silently down her face and she rolled over. She couldn't let anyone see the tears. She wiped them from her face and held in a sob.  
  
K: //He left me for HER! She's DEAD! He was seeing her behind my back! How could you betray me like this Inuyasha?//  
  
She wanted to hit something. She was so angry. Then her anger faded and was replaced with doubt.  
  
K: //What if he left her because of me? What if I am not good enough? Am I so unworthy in his eyes? After all I'm nothing more than his 'shard detector.'//  
  
Kagome was startled out of her thoughts by a noise. She wiped the tears away and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. She heard Inuyasha walk up. He stopped right by her, and she tensed. She tensed up, but other than that there was no sign of her being awake. Slowly, Inuyasha backed away and she heard him jump into the tree. Kagome tried to think again about the current situation, but found that she couldn't with the main conflict sitting up in a tree above her. She slowly found her way into a fitful sleep.  
  
***  
  
"Hey Miroku," Sango whispered to Miroku. "Don't you think that Kagome is acting weird? I mean she hasn't been her normal happy self today. Plus she's been avoiding everyone. Even Shippou." She moves away from him swiftly when she saw his hand start to wander. Miroku stood up as soon as she moved and bent in to continue the conversation.  
  
"Indeed Lady Sango I have," he whispered a little to close for Sango's comfort. "She has been avoiding us all and looks sad." He paused and tried his luck by moving a little closer. "It seems that our extremely dense hanyou friend has done something stupid again. Something stupid enough to make Kagome avoid us all." Just then a resounding smack sounded in the air. Miroku's hand had wandered to Sango's backside, and she had slapped him. Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippou stopped what they were doing and looked, but stayed away.   
  
"Thank you for your observations on the matter Miroku," Sango said tightly. "But if you ever do that again I swear to you that I will cut your arms off to make sure your hands don't wander and find their way to any part of my body again." Then she spun on her heel and went to the other side of the camp. Miroku got up and rubbed his cheek where a bright red hand mark now resided.  
  
"Whatever you say m'lady," he muttered.   
  
They continued on the hunt for the jewel shards Kagome had sensed the other day in an uncomfortable silence. Shippou stayed next to Kilala instead of riding with Kagome, which didn't go unnoticed by Inuyasha. In fact he had also observed Kagome's silence. After a while he looked back. The gang was a far way back behind Kagome. Inuyasha slowed his pace so Kagome would catch up to him. For a while he ignored her, walking beside her. Then he decided to speak.  
  
"Is anything wrong Kagome? You've been quiet this morning," he said quietly. He didn't expect Kagome to stop though.   
  
"Inuyasha do you love me?" she blurted out.   
  
K: //This is the only way to know...//  
  
Inuyasha was stunned. Shippou had heard what she had asked and told Sango. Sango then stopped them and pulled them over to the side.  
  
"We're staying here for a while. They are going to want to work this out alone," she said.  
  
"I think we should at least get closer so we can all hear better," Miroku said. Shippou nodded with him. Sango was also curious so she agreed and they inched closer.  
  
Meanwhile Inuyasha hadn't said anything.   
  
"Wh– what do you mean?" he stuttered.  
  
"Do you love me Inuyasha? Don't lie either because I will no if you lie to me," she warned him.  
  
I: //I guess she does know. I couldn't keep the secret forever, but I wanted to tell her myself. Not for her to find out.//  
  
He took a deep breath. "I was beginning to until Kikyou came back." There were going to be no lies. He saw her eyes well up with tears and he began to panic. He didn't want to make her cry. "Don't cry Kagome! Please don't cry! I wanted to tell you, but–," He was cut off by Kagome.  
  
"Don't," she whispered. "Why didn't you tell me in the beginning? Why did you lead me on only to break my heart?"  
  
He was taken aback. He didn't think that her emotions ran this deep. But it didn't matter. He had already told Kikyou that he was going to hell with her. "I'm sorry," he whispered back. "I didn't know."  
  
"What about Kikyou? How long have you been seeing her?"   
  
K: //Maybe he will say it was only a dream I was having a nightmare and it didn't really happen.//  
  
Inuyasha looked at her guiltily. "For about a month." Kagome looked at him with eyes filled with hurt and anger.   
  
"A MONTH!? How could you Inuyasha! How could you betray me like this?! She is a traitor! She doesn't love you! She's only after the jewel shards so she can give them to Naraku! Why do you trust her when she's already betrayed you? She's a DEAD LIAR who supposed to be in HELL right now!" she yelled at him. "How can she love you if she isn't happy for you know? If is really loved you she'd let you live your life instead of selfishly asking you to die early!"She was screaming out her anger and it felt good.   
  
K: //Why can't he see that she's a traitor? She's only after the shards for Naraku!//  
  
Inuyasha growled and Kagome was surprised. He had never growled like that at her.  
  
"First off, it's my fault that she's dead in the first place! She's not being selfish, I WANT to go to hell and be with her, even if I do have to die early. What is death when you can be reunited with your love? And don't you dare call Kikyou a liar or traitor! We were supposed to be together! It was my lack of trust that got her killed the first time and I won't let her get hurt again! We LOVE each other and she would never betray me. We've already learned from our mistakes and we're not going to let them happen again!" he yelled back at her. He didn't like this at all. He didn't really want to be yelling at Kagome, but she deserved it. Kagome backed away.   
  
"I'm leaving Inuyasha." Was all she said. Then she turned around and walked back down the trail to where Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kilala were waiting. "Sango do you mind if I borrow Kilala to go back home? I can't be here for another minute."  
  
"Yes Kagome. Anything you want," she said. Kilala transformed and Kagome got on. Inuyasha stood there and watched her fly away with a heavy heart. He was losing his best friend, but he wouldn't go after her. He couldn't make her come back. He could only hope that she would return. Shippou started to run after Kagome, and Sango chased him to make sure he wouldn't get hurt.   
  
"Kagome! Where are you going? Your not leaving are you?!" he cried out. "I don't want to loose you too!" Sango caught up with him and grabbed him. She pulled him into an embrace, where Shippou started to cry on her shoulder.  
  
"Shh," she comforted. "Don't worry, she'll be back."  
  
Miroku walked up to Inuyasha angry. "What did you do! When is she coming back?"   
  
Inuyasha looked at him guiltily. "I don't know, but if she does come back, it won't be for me."  
  
"What did you DO!"  
  
"She know's about me and Kikyou. She know's that I don't love her."  
  
"You idiot!" Miroku yelled. "How could you do such a thing? If your going to choose a woman you should at least choose the right one!"  
  
Inuyasha looked at him angry. "I did choose the right one! You wouldn't have any idea of that though, would you monk. I don't see you and Sango together, and don't you tell me your not together because you don't want to hurt her, because you do it every time you look at another woman! I know what I'm doing, so don't try to tell me what to do when you yourself have your own problems!" he shot back.  
  
They were now both burning in anger now. "At least I choose live women! Why can't you let the dead past die? You and Kikyou can only be together in hell and she doesn't really love you if she wants you to end your life now! Go back and get Kagome. Apologize to her now!"  
  
"I won't. If she come's back it will be on her own. I can't force her to do anything and I'm not going to try." Then he walked away, back towards Kaede's village. Miroku went to get Sango who was still comforting Shippou. They started back to the village and Miroku explained what Inuyasha had said to Kagome.   
  
I: //I'm sorry Kagome. I didn't mean to hurt you this badly, but I do love Kikyou and I do trust her. Please come back to me. I don't want to loose you as a friend...//  
  
***  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
That's another chapter done! I'm sorry. It's up later than I expected. I was going to put it up a few days ago, but I wasn't here. My apologies people. So how did you like it? Kagome has left and Inuyasha won't go get her. Sad, yes I know. Now should I be evil and make Kagome do something bad? The next chapter will be with Kagome so you'll get to see how she's faring. And it's not well...   
  
REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!   
  
EdgeOfChaos 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha because if I did I wouldn't have to write fanfics, ne?  
  
Is There no Hope?  
  
Chaper 3  
  
***  
  
Kagome got off of Kilala with tear-stained eyes. She gave Kilala a hug and thanked her.  
  
"You can go back to Sango now. Thanks for the ride, Kilala," she whispered into her fur. She watched as the cat demon flew back, and then turned her attention back to the well. She walked over to it and sat on it's edge. She watched as her feet dangled from the side. "Goodbye everyone..." With that she jumped in.  
  
She climbed out of the well and waked quietly inside her house. She looked around and saw noone there. She went up to her room and stood in front of her bed thinking about what had just happened. Then she started to scream.  
  
"INUYASHA! HOW COULD YOU!" she screamed. She picked up her pillow and threw it at the wall. "You lied to me! You lead me on! I can't believe I fell for such a bastard!" she screamed and cried her heart out. "I can't believe that your doing this! She's only going to break your heart in the end like you did to me! All this time you've been deceiving me!" By the time she was done, her room was a mess and she had broken her window. She crashed down on her bed exhausted and started to cry. "And I have to go back to it all," she said in between sobs. She got up and wiped her tears away. She started to pick her stuff up and put it back where it went.  
  
"I have to complete the jewel shard." She packed her stuff again and left a note telling her mother about the window. She walked over to the well and sat down on the edge. "I can't believe I'm going back. But I can' be selfish." With that she jumped in the well and walked to Kaede's village.  
  
"Child," Kaede said when she saw Kagome. "What are you doing here? Where is everyone else?"  
  
"I came here alone. They should be here in a while anyway," Kagome said and walked away. She sat down by the lake and fell asleep.   
  
Kagome woke up in the morning and walked back to the village. She was Sango and Miroku there. She walked over, and they looked surprised to see her.   
  
"Kagome! I thought that you had gone home!" Sango said running up to her.  
  
"I did, but I came back. I decided to wait until Naraku is dead before I leave."  
  
"Well we're just glad your back," Miroku said. Just then they heard shouting from the forest.  
  
"Inuyasha you idiot!" Shippou shouted. "Go back and get Kagome now!"  
  
"I told you runt!" Inuyasha shouted over the kitsune. "She'll come back when she's ready, and not before!" Then Shippou came flying out of the woods and landed at Kagome's feet.  
  
"Stupid Inuyasha," the kitsune mumbled. "Doesn't know anything." Just then he looked at the feet he was under and gasped. He looked up and saw Kagome. "Kagome!" Shippou shouted. "Your back! Please don't do that again. I thought you were never coming back."   
  
"Shh," Kagome comforted. "It's ok. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."  
  
Then Inuyasha came forward. Kagome gave him a cold look.   
  
"I've come back to help Sango, Miroku, and Shippou," she said looking him right in the eye. "After we've collected all the jewel shards and defeated Naraku, I'm leaving. I decided it would be selfish of me to leave Sango here without helping her with Kohaku, to leave Miroku here without helping him get rid of the wind tunnel, and Shippou because he still doesn't have a family. After that I'm leaving and never coming back." Everyone started at her, but didn't say anything.   
  
"I understand," Inuyasha finally said. He then walked away.   
  
"So what are we doing today?" Sango asked trying to change the subject.   
  
"I guess we can rest after that long trek back," Miroku suggested.  
  
***  
  
"Inuyasha, you didn't come to me last night," Kikyou said. They were in the field.   
  
"I'm sorry Kikyou. I told Kagome about us yesterday." Kikyou nodded in understanding.  
  
"How did she take it?"   
  
"She says that she'll be staying until we get all the jewel shards and kill Naraku."  
  
"And after we kill Naraku, you'll go to hell with me right?" Kikyou said. Inuyasha brought her into a hug and whispered at her.  
  
"Anything you want I'll do."  
  
"Good," Kikyou said with a smile.  
  
***  
  
"Alright let's go," Inuyasha said. The group left the village and started walking down the road to where Kagome had last spotted the jewel shards. The group walked in an uncomfortable silence until dusk, when they set up camp. Kagome laid out her sleeping back and tried to sleep.  
  
K: //What if he goes to see Her again tonight?//  
  
She rolled over.  
  
K: //It's not like I care. He can do anything he wants to.//  
  
She then drifted off to sleep. If Inuyasha did sneak off again that night, she didn't know about it.   
  
***  
  
1 month later...  
  
It had been a month since Kagome had told them they would leave after they had defeated Naraku. Now only the jewel shards that he obtained were left. The group had started talking to each other again, but Kagome and Inuyasha still stayed distant. Every now and then everyone except Kagome would catch Inuyasha giving Kagome regretful looks.   
  
"He really wants to talk to her," Sango whispered to Miroku after catching another of his glimpses.   
  
"I know," Miroku said just as quietly. "Maybe we should leave them so they can have some alone time together," he suggested.  
  
"I think your right. But if they think that we're doing this on purpose they might not talk."  
  
"Your right. Since we're about to make camp anyway I'll say I'm going into the forest to get wood for the fire with Shippou. After a while you and Kilala come in after us. That way they won't suspect anything." Miroku said.  
  
"Ok."  
  
After they set up camp, Miroku and Shippou left, and the Sango and Kilala left after them as planned. Inuyasha and Kagome sat next to the fire quietly.  
  
"So...," Inuyasha attempted at conversation. He couldn't think of anything though.  
  
I: //Dammit! I really want to be able to talk to her again! But I don't know what to say! I'm such and idiot!//  
  
K: //He's trying to talk to me. Should I talk back? I really want to talk to him though!//  
  
"Naraku has the rest of the jewel shards..." Kagome said.  
  
K: //It's better than nothing...//  
  
"Yeah. That means you'll be...leaving soon," he said quietly.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Kagome I just want to say that I'm sorry," Inuyasha blurted out. "I know that you don't want to hear it, but please I don't like not being able to talk to you."  
  
"Me either. I'm sorry too, Inuyasha."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For not talking to you." Sango, Miroku, and Shippou looked on happy.   
  
"It's alright." Just then everyone came back.  
  
"What took you guys so long?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Sorry," Miroku said. "I got lost."  
  
"And then I got lost trying to find him so I found him, but then we had to find our way back," Sango explained.  
  
"Well I'm tired," Miroku said. "Goodnight everyone.  
  
"Me too, goodnight."  
  
"Goodnight."  
  
"'Night."  
  
***  
  
"So Naraku has the rest of the jewel shards?" Kikyou asked.  
  
"Yeah. This is the end of the trip. After Naraku is dead, everything will be over." Inuyasha said.  
  
"Why don't you give me the jewel shards Inuyasha? I can get them from Naraku too so you'll have the completed Shikon no Tama."  
  
"I can't give you Kagome's piece of the jewel shards," Inuyasha said. "But you can get the rest of them from Naraku and I'll give them to Kagome."   
  
"You would give them to Kagome, but not me?" Kikyou said hurt.  
  
"It's not that!" Inuyasha said quickly. "It's just that I'm not going to take the jewel shards from Kagome, and I don't think that she'd give them to me to give to you anyway."  
  
"Then don't say that your going to give them to me. Just say that you want them," Kikyou tried to reason. Inuyasha shook his head no.  
  
"I'm not going to lie to her. I'll never lie or deceive her again."  
  
"Fine then. I must go now Inuyasha." With that, Kikyou took left.  
  
***  
  
"Well I guess it's to Naraku's place now," Kagome said.  
  
"This is it," Miroku said. "The chance I've been waiting for to get rid of this accursed wind tunnel." He lifted up his hand and examined it.   
  
"And the chance for revenge," Sango added. Inuyasha remained quiet. He wasn't thinking about Kikyou or the chance to finally get his revenge, he was thinking of Kagome leaving him forever.  
  
I: //It's not like it matter's seeing how I'm going to be in hell anyway.//  
  
After a full day of walking the group finally settled down for camp. When they finally started to sleep, Kagome watched Inuyasha.  
  
K: //I'm going to follow him tonight. I just want to tell Kikyou that... that there are no hard feelings.//  
  
She waited patiently until Inuyasha made his move. She got up and followed him into the forest.   
  
I: //Tonight is going to be my last night alive. I want to tell Kikyou... I don't know yet, but I can't wait to see her.//  
  
His heart swelled thinking about her. He ran out into the clearing and saw Kikyou with her bow. As soon as she saw him she turned aiming it at him.  
  
"Hello Inuyasha," she said calmly.  
  
***  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
So what did you think? I know it's a short pathetic chapter and I'm sorry. So Kikyou has an arrow aimed at Inuyasha. What did that idiot do now? Thank's for all of the reviews and I'll update soon. Don't forget to REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW my story!  
  
EdgeOfChaos 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippou, Miroku, Sango, Sesshoumaru, Rin, Kaede, or anyone else that has to do with Inuyasha. Sadly...  
  
Is There no Hope?  
  
Chapter 4  
  
***  
  
His heart swelled thinking about her. He ran out into the clearing and saw Kikyou with her bow. As soon as she saw him she turned aiming it at him.  
  
"Hello Inuyasha," she said calmly.  
  
"Ki–Kikyou," he stuttered out. "What are you doing?" Kikyou just smirked and let the arrow fly. Inuyasha watched in horror as it came towards him. His heart froze for a minute.  
  
I: //No this isn't true. Kikyou would never do this.//  
  
Then his heart started beating again and he watched calmly as the arrow sped right past him and lodged itself in a tree.  
  
"Don't tell me that you doubted me, Inuyasha," Kikyou said with a smirk.  
  
"Only for a moment," he said and walked forward. "But then I remembered that you would never do that. You love me and I love you."  
  
Just then Kagome walked up and stood behind a tree. She ignored the words and continued to watch waiting for a moment that she could come out.  
  
"Do you love me enough to take the jewel shards away from my reincarnate?" Kikyou asked slyly. Kagome was going to gasp, but held it in.   
  
K: //Are they planing to steal the jewel shards away from me?//  
  
"I told you Kikyou," Inuyasha said a bit annoyed. "I will not take the jewel shards away from Kagome and I'm not going to ask her for them because I know she'd say no."  
  
"Even if I have the other part of the jewel shard?"  
  
"If you did, I'd ask for it to give to Kagome so she can purify it."  
  
"So there is no way that you'll give me the jewel shards?"  
  
"None unless Kagome does it."  
  
"I see. Then I guess I'll just have to take it by force," Kikyou said with a dark look passing over her face. She raised her arms and Shini-dama-chuu swirled up out of the forest. She pointed over in the direction of the camp and they shot off. Inuyasha watched this, mouth agape.  
  
"Kikyou, what are you doing?" he asked in shock.  
  
"I'm going to get the jewel shards since you won't get them for me," Kikyou said.  
  
"The others!" he shouted and turned around. As soon as he took his first step the ground underneath of him flashed a brilliant red and Inuyasha froze. "What have you done to me Kikyou!" Inuyasha shouted, trying to move. Then a purple light shown and Inuyasha stood straight up, by some unseen force. He was spun around facing Kikyou.  
  
"Your not going anywhere Inuyasha."  
  
"You can't be Kikyou! This is another one of Naraku's tricks!" Inuyasha yelled. Kikyou laughed.  
  
***  
  
Shippou woke up when he heard a crashing sound in the forest. He woke up and looked around. There was no Kagome or Inuyasha and the other's hadn't heard the sounds his sensitive ears had picked up. Kilala started to meow and transformed.  
  
"Sango, Miroku!" Shippou yelled. "Get up, something's coming!" Miroku and Sango jumped up and readied their weapons. They looked at the forest when they heard a crashing sound, but then it stopped and everything was silent. Miroku looked around for Inuyasha and Kagome, but didn't see them.  
  
"Where are Inuyasha and Kagome?" he asked worried.  
  
"I don't know," Shippou said. "When I woke up the were gone." Then streaks of lights came out of the woods, headed towards them. "Kikyou's Shini-dama-chuu!"   
  
"That explain's where the other two are," Sango said. The soul-catchers started circling around the group high above the air. They dropped something above there head and they dodged it. A large branch fell and broke in two. Then the crashing noise in the forest resumed and a demon came out of it. It was a mori-demon in a tree form. It's face on the trunk was twisted in rage and its eyes were red. The bark was dark and rotten looking and the leaves were dying as he walked out.   
  
"The soul-catchers broke a piece of it of and it's coming back for revenge!" Miroku said. Sango didn't waste any time and threw Hiraikotsu at it. The boomerang didn't do much damage, but it did scar the side of the tree. The demon roared in anger and his roots shot out from the ground and lashed at the group.  
  
"The bark on the tree is strong enough to shield it from attacks!" Miroku shouted as he dodged another root.  
  
"This is just like back home before mamma and pappa died," Shippou said. Sango and Miroku looked at him, but he offered no explanation. Shippou just ran up to the base of the tree and started climbing.  
  
"Shippou!" Sango shouted. "Get down! Your going to get hurt!" However the kitsune didn't listen and continued climbing to the leaves in the tree.  
  
"Fox fire!" he shouted and instantly the dead leaves caught fire.   
  
"I see!" Miroku said and grabbed one of the pieces of wood that the soul-catchers had dropped on them. He stuck it in the fire and waited for it to catch fire. Sango caught on and did the same with the other branch. They threw them up into the branches of the tree and caught fire to the tree. The demon stopped attacking them and started to wail. He whipped his roots up and started thrashing his head to get the fire out, but only succeeded in catching his roots on fire. The mori-demon fell over and stopped moving and started to burn. Shippou jumped down and ran to the group.  
  
"My mamma and pappa used to have to fight them all the time when they attacked our home. They taught me how to do it," Shippou explained. Then the shini-dama-chuu dove down at them, but instead of hitting them, they swirled around them in tight loops and then shot back up in the forest.   
  
"I hope Kagome and Inuyasha are all right," Miroku said and started into the forest.   
  
"We better hurry," Sango said.  
  
***  
  
Inuyasha watched in shock as Kikyou or Naraku stood in front of him laughing.  
  
"Do you really think that I am Naraku, Inuyasha?" Kikyou said and stopped laughing.  
  
"Kikyou would never do this! I'm not going to fall for you traps again, Naraku!"  
  
"What proof would you like that I really am your lover? Perhaps the spider-shaped scar that Naraku, and all that is his bears, would be enough?" she said and turned around. She lowered her kimono so that her back was visible and showed her cold, flawless skin. No spider-shaped mark was evident.  
  
"You... your really... Kikyou?" Inuyasha said in disbelief. "That's impossible. You would never betray me!"  
  
"Inuyasha, my poor misguided fool. Of course it is me," Kikyou said with a malicious look.  
  
"But, why?" Inuyasha said faintly.  
  
"Because I needed you to get the jewel shard from my reincarnate for me. Did you believe me as I whispered all my sweet nothings in your ear to get you to trust me? Because unfortunately, that's all they were, nothings," she said with a look of scorn. Inuyasha and Kagome looked on in shock.  
  
"I never really loved you. You were just a tool to rid me of my job as priestess and grant me a normal life. All I had to do was find someone who could make a wish on the jewel and it would disappear forever. But you couldn't even do that," she looked on at him in hatred and Inuyasha withered under it. "Did you really think that I would love a worthless half-breed such as yourself? You who is not human, nor demon. A pathetic attempt at both? I was using you so I could have my wish granted, just as your so called friends are using you now to have their desires granted."  
  
I: //Kagome was right. She was only using me...//  
  
"That's not true, Kikyou!" Kagome said and ran out of the forest.  
  
"Kagome is right," Miroku said coming out of the forest.  
  
"We would never look down on Inuyasha or use him," Sango said following Miroku.  
  
"I like him the way he is, even if he is an idiot most of the time," Shippou said and ran up to him. Inuyasha was speechless. These were his friends. His only family. And they were defending him after he had been an idiot and believed Kikyou after the warnings. Kagome walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"She's wrong you know," she said with a smile. "We like you just the way you are, and we wouldn't want you to change, ever."  
  
"I've betrayed you though," Inuyasha said sadly.  
  
"No you didn't," she reassured. "You followed your heart and did the right thing. It was Kikyou who betrayed you."  
  
"Enough of this talk," Kikyou said. "It seems that the demon sent to kill you failed, but I will not." She took out her bow and Kagome did the same. "This ends today and I will leave with the jewel shard." Then light started to leak through the trees from the rising sun, and lit up the scene. Inuyasha was pulled to the spot by and invisible force and Shippou was standing in front of him. Kagome stood beside him with her bow out and an arrow notched aimed at Kikyou. Kikyou stood apart from the others with the shini-dama-chuu circling around her and her bow was out pointed at Kagome. Sango stood with her Hiraikotsu ready to throw at Kikyou and Miroku stood, staff ready in one hand and an oofuda ready in another. Kikyou shot her arrow then and Kagome did the same.  
  
***  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
So what do you think? I know I left it at a cliffy, but I'll update soon. What do you think? REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! I want to know so don't be shy! Did you like it? Did you hate it? Have any comments? Come on, tell me!  
  
EdgeOfChaos 


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